This invention relates to the fields of room partitioning components, and especially to interconnection systems and devices for moveable and reconfigurable partitioning panel systems.
Not applicable.
This invention was not developed in conjunction with any Federally sponsored contract.
Not applicable.
Not Applicable.
In modern office buildings, business and conference centers, hotels, classrooms, medical facilities, and the like, the fitting-out of occupiable space is continuously becoming more important and ever more challenging. In the competitive business environment, cost concerns alone dictate the efficient use of interior space. Thus, the finishing or fitting-out of building spaces for offices and other areas where work is conducted has become a very important aspect of effective space planning and layout.
Business organizations, their work patterns and the technology utilized therein are constantly evolving and changing. Building space users require products that provide for change at minimal cost. At the same time, their need for functional interior accommodations remains steadfast. Issues of privacy, functionality, aesthetics, acoustics, etc., are unwavering. For architects and designers, space planning for both the short and long term is a dynamic and increasingly challenging problem. Changing work processes and the technology required demand that designs and installation be able to support and anticipate change.
Space allocation and planning challenges are largely driven by the fact that modern office spaces are becoming increasingly more complicated due to changing and increasing needs of users for more and improved utilities support at each workstation or work setting. These utilities encompass all types of resources that may be used to support or service a worker, such as communications and data used with computers and other types of data processors, telecommunications, electronic displays, etc., electrical power, conditioned water, and physical accommodations, such as lighting, HVAC, sprinklers, security, sound masking, and the like. For example, modern offices for highly skilled xe2x80x9cknowledge workersxe2x80x9d such as engineers, accountants, stock brokers, computer programmers, etc., are typically provided with multiple pieces of very specialized computer and communications equipment that are capable of processing information from numerous local and remote data resources to assist in solving complex problems. Such equipment has very stringent power and signal requirements, and must quickly and efficiently interface with related equipment at both adjacent and remote locations. Work areas with readily controllable lighting, HVAC, sound masking, and other physical support systems, are also highly desirable to maximize worker creativity and productivity. Many other types of high technology equipment and facilities are also presently being developed which will need to be accommodated in the work places of the future. Moreover, the office space layout of these xe2x80x9cknowledge workersxe2x80x9d changes frequently to accommodate new technology, or to accommodate changing work teams resulting from changing business objectives, changing corporate cultures, or a combination thereof.
Office workers today need flexible alternative products that provide for the obtainment of numerous, often seemingly conflicting objectives. For example, the cultural aims of an organization may require the creation of both individual and collaborative spaces, while providing a xe2x80x9csense of placexe2x80x9d for the users, and providing a competitive edge for the developer. Their needs include a range of privacy options, from fully enclosed offices which support individual creative work to open spaces for collaborative team work. At the same time, their products must be able to accommodate diverse organizations, unique layout designs, and dynamic work processes.
Further compounding the challenge are the overall objectives to promote productivity, minimize the expenses of absenteeism and workman""s compensation, and reduce potential liability. Meeting these objectives often requires improved lighting, better air quality, life safety, and ergonomic task support.
As previously mentioned, for primarily cost reasons, The efficient use of building floor space is also an ever-growing concern, particularly as building costs continue to escalate. Thus, open office plans that reduce overall office costs are commonplace, and generally incorporate large, open floor spaces. These spaces are often equipped with modular furniture systems that are readily reconfigurable to accommodate the ever-changing needs of specific users, as well as the divergent requirements of different tenants.
An arrangement commonly used for open space office plans includes movable partial height partition panels that are detachably interconnected to partition off the open spaces into individual work settings and/or offices. These panels are typically configured to receive furniture units, such as work surfaces, overhead cabinets, shelves, etc., that hang from a framework. Another common arrangement involves dividing and/or partitioning open plans using of modular furniture, in which a plurality of differently shaped, complementary free-standing furniture units are positioned in a side-by-side relationship, with upstanding partial height privacy screens attached to selected furniture units to create individual, distinct work settings and/or offices. These types of modular furniture systems are considered readily reconfigurable and are easily moved to new sites, and are generally not part of a permanent leasehold improvement. Both of these arrangements typically incorporate panels that are largely hollow and usually comprised of a skeletal framework that support two face panels and some sort of edge plates on the top, bottom and sides.
Further, these arrangements most commonly include partial height partitions or dividers as opposed to full height walls spanning from ceiling to floor. No two office spaces are exactly alike. Floor to ceiling height, location of structural members, permanent walls, and utility and HVAC plenums vary from location to location. Thus, space-dividing systems must be adaptable to accommodate these variables. Furthermore, accommodating the varied requirements of office workers within a given facility may require a combination of fall and partial height dividers to provide a range of privacy levels corresponding to an individual user""s job functions.
Historically, office walls or partitions are made by erecting a wood frame, lining each side with gypsum board (sheet rock) panels, then finishing the wall surfaces with a variety of textures and paint. These conventional walls have proven sturdy, provide adequate superior privacy and sound proofing, and provide a surface that easily accepts wall hangings such as pictures, paintings, plaques and the like. Furthermore, as is commonly known, conventional walls can easily be repainted, retextured, and, readily patched and repaired when damaged. However, conventional gypsum board partitions are typically custom built floor-to-ceiling installations, which do not adequately address many of the needs of the ever changing high-tech xe2x80x9cknowledge worker.xe2x80x9d The need for increased utilities and partial height partitions have both proven to be needs that conventional gypsum board partitions fail to adequately address.
Conversely, presently available full and partial height architectural walls or partitions that are readily reconfigurable, have very little in common with gypsum board walls. Typically, they are comprised of hollow panels built around a metal frame, and are manufactured with a fixed surface such as cloth or other textured material attached to the surface. Consequently, finished walls are generally lightweight and have a less sturdy feel than gypsum walls. Furthermore, finished walls have a surface finish that is not readily replaceable or changeable and does not provide for hanging pictures, paintings, plaques and the like on a comparable basis to gypsum walls. These characteristics provide for walls that fail to meet some of the needs of the ever changing office tenants discussed supra.
Partition systems do exist that are designed to incorporate substantially solid panels, and can conceivably be used with compressed straw panels, but these systems possess many shortfalls when compared to subject invention. Most notably is the Ortech partition system disclosed herein. It is designed only for floor to ceiling applications and does not provide for the vertical disposal of utility wiring between panels. Additionally, the Ortech system does not provide a frame that is substantially flush with each panel face thereby providing for a substantially flat wall with a plurality of vertical utility plenums therein.
Therefore, what is needed in the art is an interior space-dividing system that provides the flexibility and reconfigurability of currently available partition systems while also providing the sturdiness, sound proofing, ease of resurfacing, and compatibility with conventional wall hangings provided by conventional gypsum board walls. Further, the need exists for a system that provides the versatility of full height and partial height application wherein vertical and horizontal utility plenums are numerous and closely spaced. The invention disclosed herein meets these needs, provides a system that is made primarily of recycled materials, and represents a significant improvement over existing art.
The present invention relates to the finishing or fitting-out of various types of interior building space such as offices, hotels, conference centers, business centers, meeting rooms, medical facilities, classrooms, etc. Particularly, the present invention provides for the finishing out of open interior space using an integrated partition system suitable for finishing-out said open space in a customizable and subsequently reconfigurable manner. Said partition system further provides for the use of solid core prefabricated panels held within rails that provide for a perimeter framework for the solid core panels, with said rails providing a network of conduits suitable for holding utility wiring there through.
The present invention discloses a modular office partition system based upon solid core panels comprised of a matrix of compressed straw lined on all sides by paper or paperboard. The compressed straw is arranged in layers with the straw fibers substantially parallel in orientation extending transversely across the panel from side to side when the panel is in a normal in-use orientation. Subject solid core panels are typically rectangular in shape, and typically will be oriented such that the longer edges are substantially vertical and the shorter edges are substantially horizontal. In this orientation, said straw fibers will be assume a generally horizontal orientation. Said solid core panels are suitable for securely accepting nails, tacks, screws and other connecting means for attaching and/or hanging items from the panel surfaces. Further, surfaces of solid core panels are suitable for accepting surface texture, paint, wall paper, and other conventional wall coverings. Additionally, said solid core panels possess sound insulating properties (disclosed herein) superior to both conventional gypsum board walls and many currently available commercial interior partition systems. Solid core panels further provide fire resistant properties superior to materials used in many presently available interior partition systems. To enhance flexibility, solid core panels can be cut and formed in the field using conventional tools such as circular, saber or band saws, routers, planers, sanders and the like. Ideally, however, a given partition system will be designed so that field alteration of solid core panels is minimized. In a preferred embodiment, solid core panels such as those manufactured by Affordable Building Systems of Texas are utilized.
Though the partition system disclosed herein includes a number of individual components, the system is designed around a compressed straw core panel. Said straw core panel is composed of highly compressed straw, usually wheat, rice, oat, or other recovered agricultural straw. Typically, panels are made through a dry extrusion process wherein straw is compressed into a substantially flat continuous web, normally between 1xe2x80x3 is and 3xe2x80x3 thick and between 30xe2x80x3 and 65xe2x80x3 wide. The continuous web is lined on all sides by paper or paperboard. The continuous web is then cut into rectangular panels of various lengths.
These straw core panels possess many unique properties highly suitable for partition system applications. For example, finished panels can easily be textured, painted, retextured, repainted, or covered with a variety of wall covering materials such as wallpaper or fabric comparably to conventional gypsum board walls or partitions.
Like conventional gypsum board or wood-based walls or partitions, straw core panels are suitable for accepting nails, tacks, screws or the like for hanging pictures, plaques, etc. As indicated by nail pull values listed herein, straw core panels possess nail pull properties superior to conventional gypsum board walls. Additionally, straw core panels are typically thicker and stronger, thus providing nails, screws, or the like driven therein support more weight than if driven into gypsum board.
Importantly, what is lacking in the art is a system suitable for effectively utilizing these straw core panels in a versatile modular office partition type system that is easily reconfigurable. Though these straw core panels possess many characteristics arguably ideal for interior partitions, existing partition systems either do not provide for incorporation of said straw core panels, or are limited in their application.
The system disclosed herein provides for the assembly of modular solid core partition panels. Said partition panels may be comprised of either a single solid core panel, a plurality of solid core panels, or transparent panel or any combination thereof with panels situated in edge to edge planar relation and held within a perimeter frame. Said perimeter frame includes horizontal and vertical rail assemblies that securely engage said solid core or glass panel(s) along the entire perimeter of said partition panel. Horizontal and vertical rail assemblies are further designed to releasably engage a plurality of connectors that provide secure edge to edge attachment of finished partition panels. Connectors further provide for partition panels to be easily connected in a parallel (planar), or perpendicular relationship there between. Also included and disclosed herein are various foot, crown and cover pieces that provide hollow interior axial space along perimeter frames that provides a conduit for utility wiring. Thus, utility wiring can be routed around the perimeter of finished partition panels. Further, rail assemblies, connectors, and associated pieces are designed to provide a continuous conduit through joint areas where partition panels edges are joined.
Size of finished partition panels can easily be varied to provide partial height or full height (floor to ceiling) partitions. Finished partition panel size can be changed either by the number of solid core panels included or by changing the length of the solid core panels. Partition panels can be erected as dividers or walls within open office space, or can be installed to cover permanent interior or structural walls to provide a consistent look and design throughout the entire interior space to be finished.
The present invention further provides for core panels that can be specially sized, either at the manufacturing plant or in the field, to provide doors, odd sized panels, transitional areas, etc., that are aesthetically and structurally consistent with partition is panels and provide a uniform xe2x80x9cfinishedxe2x80x9d look upon completion.
The features and advantages of the invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written specification, claims, and appended drawings.